Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 5 · Verse 35
Verse 35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool]
A fault so common among this people, that S. James … cause to warn the beleeving Jews of it to whom he wrote. They had taken up such a custom of swearing by the creatures, that after conversion they could not easily leave it, it is a poor plea to say, I…. 5. …. have gotten a custom of swearing, and must … be born with. For who is it but the devil … saith to such, as the Iews to Pilate, Doe as thou hast ever done? The Cretians when theyMar. … 8. wished worst to any one, they wished that he might take delight… in an evil …. Break off … this ili use by repentance: and though you cannot suddenly turn the stream, yet … against it, bite in thine oathes, and with bitternesse … them: swear to God, as David did, thou wilt swear no more, and by degrees outgrow this ill custom.
For it is his footstool]
And should be ours. For he hath put all things under our feet, Psal. 8 6. He saith not, under our hands, but under our feet, that we might trample upon them in a holy contempt, as the Church is said to tread upon the Moon; and the way of the righteous is said to be on high, to depart from hell below. It is a wonder, surely, that treading upon these minerals, gold, silver, precious stones, &c. (which are but the guts and garbage ofAug. the earth,) we should so admire them. God hath hid them in theRev. 12 1. Prov. 15. ….bowels of the earth, and in those parts that are farthest off from the Church. Where they grow, little else grows that is ought; no more doth grace in an earthly …. But to return from whence we are …; Earth is Gods footstool. How ought we then to walke …, that we provoke not the eyes of his glory. There is an honour due even to the footstools of Princes, when they are in the throne especially. …, … thou in the fear of the Lord all Prov. 23. 17.day long (saith … ) walke in the sense of his presence, and light of his countenance. He is not very farre from any one of us, Acts 17. 27.saith the Apostle, not so farre as the barke from the tree, or the slesh from the bones. This one God and father of all, is not only above all, and from his throne beholdeth all that's done here below, but also through all, and in you all, Ephes. 4. 6. Therefore no corner can secret us, no cranny of the heart can escape his eye: Al things are (for the outside) naked, and (for the inside) open, dissected,foreign. quartered, and as it were, cleft thorow the back-bone (as theforeign, …. 4. …. word signifieth) before the eyes of him with whom we deal.
Neither by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the great King]
The place of his rest, the seat of his Empire, and they the people of his praise, and of his purchase. Glorious things are spoken of thee, thouforeign. …. City of God. There was the adoption, and the glory, the … and the giving of the Law, the service of God and the promises, &c.…. 5. … 9. 4.Constantinople was acknowledged by Tamerlane to be, for her situation, an Imperiall City, and such as was made to command the world: Strasborough in Germany, is called by some, compendium …. ….Orbis, an abridgment of the world. But Ierusalem, by a better Authour, is stiled Princesse of Provinces, the joy of the whole earth,Lam. 1. 1. …. 482.the pleasant land, &c. It must needs be pleasant, where God himselfDan 89. …. But how is the faithfull City become a harlot? Isa. 1. 21, 22.It was full of judgement, righteousnesse … in it, but now murderers. Her silver is become drosse, her wine mixt with …. Bethel is become Bethaven, and Ierusalem turned into Ierushkaker. It fell again into the power of the Turks and Infidels, Anns 1234. (after that the most warlike souldiers of Europe, had there, as it were, one common sepulchre, but an eternall monument of … misguided valour) and so remaineth still, a poor ruinous City, governed by one of the Turks Sanzacks and for nothing now more famous then for the sepulchre of our Saviour, again repairedTurkish …. sol 101. and much visited by the Christians, and not unreverenced by the Turks themselves. There are not to be found there at this time 100.…. Enquir. p …. housholds of Jews, and yet there are ten or more Churches of Christians there.
Of the great King]
The Jews much admired the greatnesse ofSi … (…) …, … procul … sibi … fingerent, quia … animal animali superius cogitat. … & bomo …, Herod, and especially of the Romanes, whose tributaries they were at this time. Our Saviour mindeth them of a greater then these, One that is great, greater, greatest, greatnesse it self. Nebuchadnezzar stileth himself the great King, and brags of his Babel. The rich miser thinks himself no small thing, because of his counerey of Corn. Ahashuerosh taketh state upon him, because he reigned from India to Ethiopia. Darius his flatterers held it meet, that no man should ask a petition of any God or man, for thirty dayes, save of him. Diocletian would needs be worshipped as a God, and was the first that held forth his feet to be kissed, after …. 1 Cor. 214Amurath the third, Emperour of the Turks, stiled himselfLuk 12 16. God of the earth, Governour of the whole world, the Messenger offoreign, regio, … foreign, ager. God, and faithfull servant of the great Prophet. And the great Cham of Tartary, is called by the simple vulgar, The shadow of…. spirits, and sonne of the immortall God: And by himself he is reputed…. to be the Monarch of the whole world. For which causeTurk. …. every day (if all be true that is reported of him) as soon as he hath …, he caused his … to be sounded, by that signe givingVide Sphy. … p ….… to other … and Princes to go to dinner. These be the… Geog, pag. 662. … of the earth, and think no mean things of themselves. But compare them with the Great King here mentioned, and what … of all their supposed greatnesse? All Nations … are but as the dust of the balance, or drop of a bucket. … tuistius guttae particula? saith a Father: If allSol reliqui sidera occultat, … suum …. Nations are to God but as the drop of a bucket, oh what a small pittance must thou needs be, how great soever, of that little drop? And as he is great, so he looketh to be praised and served according …. lib. 2. c. 6.to his excellent greatn sse. We should, if it were possible, fill upSo doth the God of glory. that vast distance and disproportion, that is betwixt him and us,… 7. …. by the greatnesse of our praises, and sincerity, at least, of our services, in presenting him with the best. … a great King, saithMal. 18. 14. God, and he stands upon his seniority: Offer it now to thy Prince, will he accept thy refuse braid-stuffe, &c. It is, verily, a most sweet meditation of St Bernard: whensoever we come before God in any duty, we should conceive our selves to be entring into the court of Heaven, wherein the King of Kings sitteth in a stately throne, … with an host of glorious Angels, and crowned Saints. With how great humility therefore, reverence and godly fear, ought a poor worm, crawling out of his hole, a vile frog, creepngQuanta ergo … humilitate … debet e palude sua … & repens vilu …? Bern. de divers. 15. out of his mud, draw nigh to such a Majesty? The Seraphims clap their wings on their faces when they stand before God, Isa. 6. as men are wont to do their hands, when the lightning flasheth in their faces: The nearer any man draws to God, the more rottennesse he findeth in his bones. Abraham is dust and ashes, Iob abhorreth himself in dust and ashes, Isaiah, cryes, Woe is me, for I amHab. 316. …: Peter, Depart from me, I am a sinfull man. All these had right … of Gods greatnesse, and this is that that is required so oft in Scripture under the tearm of magnifying God; when we get him into our hearts in his own likenesse, and enlarge his room there; when we take him into our thoughts under the notion of a great King, when we get so far, as to conceive of him above all creatures, far above all the glory that can be found in earthly … and Potentates. Thinke of God, as one not to be thought of, and when you have thought your …, as … affirmeth concerning Socrates described by Plato, and desireth of his Readers concerning Lucius Crassus, that they would imaginUn majus …, …. …. far greater things of them, then they finde written: so assure your selves, your highest apprehensions of God fall infinitely short of his incomparable and incomprehensible greatnesse. And if he could adde, If any think me overlavish in their commendation, it is because he never heard them, or cannot judge of them: How much… more may we … the same of this blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting. ….